Finding Grace in Gold! Final World Cup SkiMo Sprint in Norway

I returned Tromso, Norway for the final ISMF ski mountaineering World Cup sprint with one objective in mind: to give it my best and feel good about my race. I had some time before the race to enjoy the tranquility of Tromso, Norway, the 69th lattitude north, almost to the Arctic Circle.

Tranquility of Tromso

See below a short little live video before the weekend of racing!

Start of the World Cup Sprint 12 noon Saturday

The start of the semi finals

Striding towards the zone in the final (photo stephan mantler)

Giving your best does not guarantee a gold. In fact in my family we emphasize giving your best as working your hardest, and facing the challenges of day to day life with a smile, whether it might be spelling words, or training in the rain and wind.

Start of the Finals -Nina Far right

On Saturday in Tromso city center I felt like I was on home turf and the season came together for me. It is not every day that your legs feel good in a race. Thanks to those who helped me with my training this year and my own intuition, things felt like they came together.

Forging up the finals in the boot pack

People often talk about being in the “zone” whether it is in their work, career, music or in sports where everything feels good and it comes naturally.

Skate section

On this Saturday, I really good feelings in all rounds, not only my legs, but also even more importantly my heart. I simply had a happy race which is what my 7 yr old always reminds me to have.

going for the finish

Going home with a gold medal for a 2nd year in a row means a lot to me. I had a tremendous amount support from my family & friends. I could not have done it with out their encouragement ,

Nina’s gold medal finish!

Particularly my husband who has believed in me from the beginning of this journey we have taken together in the pursuit of excellence. For me it’s been the journey of getting here that really is the most meaningful and what counts, the sweat, & tears, dedication and now celebration. I hope that we can inspire others to follow their own dreams.

If you had asked me 20 years ago what I would be doing at the age of 40, I certainly would have never imagined to have pursued excellence in the sport of ski mountaineering at the world cup level. Being committed to a high level of fitness involves flexibility, endurance and strength, just as in life.

The fitness of life

I could not have achieved this pursuit of excellence without being a mother. Both go hand in hand and have taught me grace, strength, endurance and flexibility. In the sprint, it is the transitions that count, and to breathe though the transitions makes all the difference, just as in life.

Sharing the local newspaper with xcountry ski star Lars Berger

It is grace that I can take with me to other parts of my life. This culmination of joint efforts, the love of sport, passion for the mountains and commitment to a dream has been a true high light for me and my family. This win is a historical win medal for the United States, as it’s the 2nd gold medal win in ski mountaineering history for the USA. [editor: Nina has won the only three medals ever won in the World Cup by an American: 2 World Cup golds, and 1 World Championships silver.]

[…] Nina Silitch is a two time gold medal winner in wold cup ski mountaineering. She is a wife, mom of two boys, teacher, coach and adventurer at heart. She has worked full time for the National Outdoor Leadership School beginning her career as a climbing instructor in the Wind River Mountains. She and her husband of High Alpine Mountain Guides have lived and raised their own children in Chamonix, France. She currently resides in Park City, Utah with her husband and two boys where she teaches 5th grade and coaches the Park City Ski Mountaineering Team. She is an athlete and adventurer for Adidas Outdoor. […]

Add Widgets (Universal Sidebar)

This is your Universal Sidebar. Edit this content that appears here in the widgets panel by adding or removing widgets in the Universal Sidebar area.